Virgin Media's blighted SuperHub NOW comes with extra squeal (oink)

Exclusive If Virgin Media's SuperHub could speak it might well be saying: "Please put me out of my misery, Mr Boss Man". And now the modem/router combi networking box has indeed started to whine, whistle and squeal – perhaps about its inadequacy – to the telco's long-suffering customers.

The company has admitted to The Register that there is yet another problem with the kit, which has been dubbed the SuperFail by punters as it's been beset with hardware and firmware glitches since it was launched by the ISP in early 2011.

Virgin Media gave us this statement:

We are working with our hardware partner [Netgear] to investigate recent reports from some customers relating to noisy power supplies. Whilst these units are correctly powering the SuperHub and not impacting performance, in some instances customers may be able to hear a subtle noise whilst in use. In the meantime, customers with this issue can get a free replacement power supply unit by contacting our care teams.

It's understood that VM execs are desperately seeking an alternative to the troubled networking kit and, we've been told, it's the top topic in the company's weekly management meeting.

Officially, Virgin Media will only say that it "regularly review[s] suppliers and often run[s] dual vendors" – for example its TiVo boxes which are badged by either Cisco or Samsung. Beyond that, a company spokesman said that any suggestion that the Netgear-supplied SuperHub was to be killed was mere "speculation" best ignored.

In the meantime, the telco's SuperHub customers might notice a strange ringing in the ear... ®